This week brings the 51st producer’s letter and with it – a ton of upcoming content! So, more dungeons, easier gear progression, a fix in the hardest dungeon, a barber shop, UI changes, and things like daily quests so the economy doesn’t continue its drastic decline. Oh, and housing!

Hello again, all you FFXIVers out there! Yoshi-P here, bringing you my fifty-first Letter from the Producer.

It’s already been a month and a half since release, and after adding several new Worlds, optimizing the servers, and expanding the data centers, it’s full speed ahead for the development team as we prepare for the first big patch.

Looking over data from each World, it’s great to see so many players in every level range. Whether it’s exploring the nooks and crannies of Eorzea, chasing after FATE, braving through dungeons for Allagan tomestomes, or taking on the Binding Coil of Bahamut, everyone seems to be settling into their own play style as they find their place in the community.

As for myself, I’ve finally defeated Titan in the main story, and am now in snowswept Coerthas. I’ve been going it incognito on the public servers, and it’s been a lot of fun playing with you all. I can never resist a shout for help to venture through lower level dungeons, so it’ll probably be a while before I reach end game.

Speaking of end game, I’d like to take a moment to address our players who have completed the main scenario, and are now working to complete relic quests and fight against the hard-mode primals. We realize how difficult it’s been to acquire tomestones and have taken measures to alleviate this problem. Although we had a few setbacks necessitating an extension of the planned maintenance on October 15, as well as a subsequent emergency maintenance, we’ve added additional instance servers for Amdapor Keep as well as the Wanderer’s Palace. We’ve also increased the number of tomestones obtainable in these dungeons, and made adjustments to gil received from within. Patch 2.1 will introduce even more ways to accumulate tomes, so please bear with us.

End game players have also encountered problems with the fifth turn of the Binding Coil of Bahamut. This issue was to be addressed with the patch on October 15, but unfortunately we’ve confirmed that the problem still persists. Please rest assured we are working diligently to resolve this issue so that players can resume play in this instance as soon as possible.

Our first update will be fairly substantial, and can be divided into three key parts. First and foremost, we want players to have more options to enjoy themselves in Eorzea. We’ll be introducing daily quests and treasure hunts for those looking to play solo, and various system adjustments will make it easier to obtain Allagan tomestones of philosophy and mythology with your party mates. You can also expect to see new dungeons, the Crystal Tower, extreme primal battles, and the return of Good King Moggle Mog. There’s also housing and the Wolves’ Den to look forward to, both of which are being fine-tuned and debugged as we speak.

Second, we’ll be implementing feedback from you, the players. Not only will the user interface be updated, but we’ll also be adding an item-sort function, item level restrictions on the Duty Finder, the MVP system, and a number of other new features.

Last but certainly not least, we’ll be introducing the salon where players can customize character features such as hair and face paint, and a party search function for individual Worlds. This wouldn’t be a FINAL FANTASY if it didn’t have a story, so expect to see new developments in the main scenario, and perhaps even the return of a certain someone from Version 1.0.

More details will be revealed during the upcoming LIVE letters. I’m planning to host one every month up until the release of 2.1, and I hope you tune in to all of them!

And that’s all from me for today. See you again on October 19, at the ninth Letter from the Producer LIVE!

It’s hard to believe that even this long after the US/EU/JP servers went live for FFXIV’s “Reborn” launch, there are still servers preventing character creation. Hopefully this will be a way for friends and guild members to finally get together for the first time since open beta.

Due to login and character creation restrictions set in place after the start of official service, many players were unable to create characters on their desired Worlds. In order to address this issue, players will be allowed to use the World Transfer Service free of charge from Tuesday, October 15, 2013, to Monday, October 21, 2013, 01:00 a.m.

Using the World Transfer Service, players can move characters on their service accounts to be from one World to another.

Although multiple characters can be transferred from one World to another with a single use of this service, multiple characters from different Worlds cannot be transferred to the same World, nor can multiple characters from a single World be transferred to separate Worlds.

World Population Status (October 10, 2013)

Crowded Worlds

Japan Data Center

NA/EU Data Center

Alexander

Behemoth

Anima

Cactuar

Atomos

Excalibur(LEGACY)

Carbuncle

Hyperion(LEGACY)

Fenrir

Moogle(EU)

Garuda

Ultros

Ifrit

Ramuh

Tiamat

Titan

Uncrowded Worlds

Japan Data Center

NA/EU Data Center

Asura

Coeurl

Belias

Brynhildr

Pandaemonium

Faerie

Unicorn

Famfrit

Yojimbo

Goblin

Zeromus

Lamia

Lich(EU)

Malboro

Mateus

Siren

Zalera

* Characters cannot be transferred to a World which has already reached the limit for character creation.
* Characters can also be transferred between data centers.

Transfers Involving Legacy Worlds

In order to allow the economy of newly established Worlds to stabilize, the following restrictions have been set in place for Legacy Worlds.

Transferrable

Current World

Destination World

○

Non-Legacy World

->

Legacy World

○

Legacy World

->

Legacy World

×

Legacy World

->

Non-Legacy World

How to use the World Transfer Service

Step 1: Confirm Your Eligibility

The following conditions must be met before using the World Transfer Service:

1. You must possess an active service account for FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn.
2. You must be logged out of the game.
3. Your character cannot be enlisted in a free company, holding a free company petition, or signed to a free company petition.
4. Your character cannot have items for sale on the market.
5. Your character cannot have items entrusted to the Calamity Salvager NPC.
6. Your character must rehire any retainers carried over from Version 1.0.
7. Your character must be logged out outside of any instanced areas.
8. The character you wish to transfer must be at least three days old.
9. Your service account cannot be suspended due to a violation of Terms of Service or a hold on the account.
10. Furthermore, characters can only transfer 3 million gil, while retainers can only transfer 1 million gil. Please be aware that excess gil will be lost.

* Regarding Login Restrictions During the Transfer Process

Once you begin the World transfer process, you cannot create new characters or log into the game until the transfer is complete.

Characters will be transferred in the order applications were submitted. Furthermore, additional time may be required for all transfers to complete. A notification will be sent to the e-mail address registered to your Square Enix account when the transfer is complete. Do not attempt to log in before receiving this notification, as doing so may cause an error in the transfer, prolonging the process.

* Please check your e-mail filters to ensure e-mail from the domain name @account.square-enix.com is not sent to your junk mail folder.

A large number of players are expected to make use of the World Transfer Service during this free period. As a result, transfers may require several days before processing is complete.

Step 2: Log into the FINAL FANTASY XIV: Mog Station

Log into the FINAL FANTASY XIV: Mog Station with the Square Enix account containing characters you wish to be transferred. The status of your service account and available characters can be confirmed on the Account Services page.

To begin the application process, select World Transfer Service on the Optional Services page.

* In the event you possess multiple service accounts for FINAL FANTASY XIV, please select the tab of the service account containing characters you wish to be transferred.

Step 3: Apply for a World Transfer

Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the World transfer process. Please also bear in mind the following before submitting your application:

Subscription Type Restrictions

Accounts with entry subscriptions are only allowed one character per World; therefore, for these accounts, characters cannot be transferred to a World on which a character is already present. With a standard subscription, players are allowed up to eight characters on a single World.

Characters with the Same Name

In the event the name of your character has already been chosen by another character on the destination World, you will be required to change your character’s name when logging in for the first time.

Although it is possible to confirm the availability of your character’s name when submitting your application, multiple applications bearing characters with the same name may necessitate the renaming of your character, depending on the order in which the applications are processed.

* Once service fees are instated for this service, characters transferring from another World will take priority in the event a character on the destination World has the same name but is associated with an inactive service account at the time of transfer.

Retainers with the Same Name

In the event the name of your retainer is already being used by another retainer on the destination World, you will be required to change your retainer’s name upon first summoning them. Please be advised that it cannot be determined beforehand if your retainers will require name changes.

Data Retained After Transfer

– The following will be transferred along with your character:

All items, including gear and minions
Retainers and all items in their possession.
Moogle letters
Gil (3 million gil per character, 1 million gil per retainer)
* Please note that any gil exceeding the above limit will be lost.

– The following will not be transferred along with your character:

Friend lists
Blacklists
Linkshells
Free companies

* The World Transfer Service cannot be used for characters enlisted in a free company. Please make sure your character is not a member of a free company before using this service.

* Characters will be withdrawn from linkshells automatically.

– The following data will be updated automatically.

Character data on the Lodestone
Blogs and comments posted on the Lodestone

* World transfers will not affect your list of followers and those whom you are following.

Character avatars on the official forum

Disclaimers

The World Transfer Service cannot be used when the Square Enix Account Management System, FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn, or the FINAL FANTASY XIV: Mog Station is undergoing maintenance.

With the introduction of the World Transfer Service, there may be cases where players are requested to transfer to other Worlds due to fluctuations in population. We may also consider the splitting or merger of Worlds. Because of this, there may be instances where players who have used the World Transfer Service are requested to move to a different World. Please note that in such cases, applications for World transfers cannot be canceled or refunded.

If you should encounter problems when using the World Transfer Service, please contact the Square Enix Support Center. Please note that the Square Enix Support Center cannot assist with certain problems if more than one week has passed since using this service.

Service Fees

Please note that the paid service is estimated to start at the end of October. Details on the paid service will become available once they are finalized.

Two years ago, the gaming community turned up their noses at F2P declaring an MMORPG had “failed” and was “worthless” if it swapped to that business model, let alone if that was the business model at launch. “Pay 2 Win” was freely associated with most every F2P game. Even now, there are quite a few MMORPGs that still have subscription models in some format: WoW, EVE, EverQuest II, RIFT (you can still subscribe for extras), TERA (same thing as RIFT), SWTOR (tons of bonuses for subscribing), FFXIV:ARR, and Elder Scrolls Online (launching next year), to name several.

I find it odd that gamers now expect F2P for AAA MMORPGs at launch? If it’s a good game, I have no issue subscribing for $15 a month. If it’s F2P and not P2W, I have no issues paying $15-$20 a month via cash shop items.

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We’ve talked a couple of times to Carbine Studios’ Jeremy Gaffney in the last few months. He’s currently promoting his promising subscription MMO, Wildstar, and on each occasion he’s made the same broad point: in the massively-multiplayer market, things are not necessarily as they seem.

“Games that look very successful in free-to-play may or may not be making profit,” he told us most recently. And then added, cryptically: “Games that look unsuccessful in subscription may actually be more profitable.”

“Different games with different business models work in a very different fashion,” he said of his new game’s chances in a bustling field. “If you look at City of Heroes [which Gaffney produced] compared to Guild Wars, it looks like City of Heroes is a smaller game.

“And it is, fewer people play City of Heroes, they peaked out at – I don’t know the numbers – something like 200,000. But 200,000 subscribers paying $15 a month, if you do the math, that makes about as much money as selling 6 million boxes, if they last long enough.”

Gaffney cited a “couple of reasons” for Carbine’s decision to steer clear of free-to-play for Wildstar. Both lie in the “variability” of the payment model.

“There’s variability as a player because you don’t know if you’re going to get sucked in and pay $1,000 a month, because some people do. As a publisher it’s a juggling act because most the games I’ve seen end up devolving to the point that 1 or 2% of the players are paying $100 or more a month and they’re actually funding most of the free players, which can be up to 70 – 80% playing completely for free.

“As a publisher [that variabililty] can be distracting because when you’re making money you never know when that’s going to go away. As a player it’s distracting because generally you have a very different experience if you’re playing for free – and if not, then why the hell pay?

“So free-to-play’s not a magic bullet.”

Instead, Carbine have adopted an Eve-like business model: CREDD. Players can buy CREDD items for real-world money from the developers, and trade them with a second group of players for in-game gold. This second group can then cash in their CREDD for game time and, if they’re earning enough gold, play the game for free indefinitely.

“A bunch of games have done similar systems,” said Gaffney on the system’s inspiration. “Eve’s is probably the most popular and the best known. So many people don’t know what PLEX is and so it’s tough to describe. It’s such an efficient way of taking players that want to pay a lot, who want to put extra money in the game, and then that directly funds other players game time and so it’s a lot more direct.

“So essentially one set of players create their time, [another] use money to pay for the sub, and it’s a win-win and it pisses off gold farmers because it’s a legal source of trading gold with other players and so gets in the way of gold farmers.

“And we like pissing off gold farmers, too.”

Hear hear. But what do you make of Gaffney’s assessment of the MMO market? This is a man who’s been around since Asheron’s Call, so tread respectfully.

Given the most users FFXIV devs had prepared for was somewhere around 400,000, this news definitely explains why their launch was horrific, even for the Japanese players. I’m glad to see such successful sales and concurrent user logins despite the difficulties of the past few weeks.

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TGS 2013: Final Fantasy XIV Has Over a Million Players: Info and Relevant Screencaps from the Live Letter

During the first Letter from the Producer Live held at Tokyo Game Show, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn Naoki Yoshida Gave some interesting information about the state of the game and its future.

First of all, Players will be able to transfer their characters to a world of their choice from early October, for a limited time only. Secondly crossover contents with Dragon Quest X and Final Fantasy XI are coming at the end of the year (you can check them out in the gallery)

Version 2.1 will include the following content: Good King Moogle Battle, Extreme Titan, Garuda and Efreet, one new dungeon (Pharos Sirius) and two hard mode dungeons with different mechanics for the bosses, player housing for all three city states, the Wolves’ Den PVP Arena,treasure hunting, hard modes against special bosses, beastmen daily quests and content finder random matching.

Some hard data has been given about the game’s population as well. The game has 1,080,000 total unique logins (IE: unique players) since its release, 617,000 daily unique logins, and 344,000 peak concurrent users (IE: users connected at the same time). This is pretty impressive considering that sales of the game have been suspended for two weeks in order to solve the congestion of the servers. We’ll have to see if they’ll increase further now that sales are open again.

Below you can see all the relevant screencaps from the livestream, that also show the distribution between jobs, roles, races and genders of the characters created so far.

Update: A brand new polished version is now available for Patch 2.3, thanks to the CrabCommander! I have updated this post with CC’s thread.

So you just hit 50, and now you’re wondering where to go from here. Well, I don’t think anyone can tell you explicitly what should be done in exactly what order, and you certainly can skips steps, but here’s the most gentle slope for introduction to end-game.

Tier 0 – Preparation & Requirements

Finish Your Job/Story Quests – Your Job quests will net you your last skills and your Artifact gear. Do them. Main quest completion at least through Praetorium is required for literally every piece of content outside of this tier, and many later on will require completion beyond that.

Replace Your Trash Items – If you have any items below iLevel 45, they should probably be replaced with crafted/purchased items. You should pay particular attention to your weaponry. You can jump up as high as item level 90, depending on how much gil you have/are willing to spend, but bare minimum in all slots should be i45+.

Castrum Meridianum and The Praetorium – You’ll need to run them once for story. If you feel uncomfortable with the idea of 8 man content you can run them once or twice extra, but you should otherwise avoid them outside of Duty Roulette: Story Mode, which unlocks after completing them both, as the base Mythology reward is rather low for their time investment.

Wanderer’s Palace and Amdapor Keep – You’ll have to do at least AK for your Relic quest eventually, but they also drop iLevel 55 gear to get you started, and are an easy completion even in fresh 50 gear. They should help ease you into the idea of 4 man dungeons at level 50, and how various classes perform with their full skill set.

Cross Class Skills – Every Job is a little different on how much they depend on cross-class skills, but at absolute minimum, by the time you reach Tier 2 you should have access to all of the Cross-Class skills considered even moderately useful for your Job.

Tier 1 – The First Steps

Expectations – Beyond this point you should have Praetorium completed, and a basic set of gear in the iLevel range of 45-55 or higher. Gear from content in this range is iLevel 60-80.

Relic Quest Line – One of the first stops for a fresh 50 should be picking up your Relic Quest line. Even if you don’t want to take it all the way to Novus, it’s a good way to jump up into the i80-90 weaponry tier relatively quickly.

Big 3 HM Primals – Ifrit, Garuda, and Titan HM will all be required of you for a number of unlocks, and completion of your Relic quest. Go bang them out in an afternoon. With big Echo bonuses, and propensity for higher iLevel/experience players to join you via Duty Roulette: Trials, none of these save perhaps Titan should present you with any terrible difficulty. The Big 3 HM Primals must be completed to gain access to The Binding Coil of Bahamut later on.

Main Story Continuation/Secondary HM Primals – Continue working on your post-Praetorium Story and you’ll eventually run into Moogle Mog, Leviathan, and Ramuh HM. You’ll need them all dead and the story wrapped up all the way to its current 2.3 completion eventually for unlocks, and Moggle can drop silly i75 weapons for the Moogle addicted.

Gilgamesh – A for-fun/no-rewards fight in the Hildebrand Storyline; required if you want to unlock Duty Roulette: Trials. Should be no difficulty at any iLevel.

Pharos Sirius and Haukke/Copperbell HM – These four man dungeons should present you no particular difficulties even at an average iLevel of 55-60, assuming some of your other party members are above that level. You should be going through each four man dungeon at least once so that you can unlock Duty Roulette: Hard Mode.

Lost City of Amdapor and Brayflox/Halatali HM – Same as above, only with a slightly higher difficulty curve, aim for iLevel 60-70 before jumping in them. Brayflox HM will likely be many people’s first experience with the dungeon speed running mentality, so be prepared for much bigger pulls than you’re used to. Once you have completed all the dungeons listed to this point at least once you will gain access to Duty Roulette: Hard Mode.

Labyrinth of the Ancients – The first Crystal Tower/24 man, you’ll need it completed for unlock status later for the second zone, and it drops i80 gear with no loot restriction.

Hunts – You should now be able to unlock the Hunts system, which allows you to reap great rewards from overworld Notorious Monsters. Unlock this as soon as possible and get into a Hunts Linkshell or a larger FC if this is something that interests you.

Mythic Armor – You should be able to purchase at least a few pieces of Mythic armor either with Mythology tomes, or Hunt Marks. This should help boost your iLevel rapidly. If you have enough Soldiery Tomes you can also begin purchasing iLevel 100 Weathered gear with them.

PvP & Frontlines – You should now be able to unlock Frontlines PvP and level 50 Arena mode PvP. Frontlines can be a great way to acquire Tomestones and PvP exp while having fun, as long as you can deal with the Frontlines queue insanity.

Side-Stories – You should now also have access to start the Hildebrand, Courrier, and Winebauds series of Sidequests. These provide various small item rewards, and can be a lot of silly fun.

Other Unlocks – There are many small system related unlocks at level 50, from Glamours and Personal Rooms to Chocobo Raising, Parley, and more. Keep an eye out for any odd Level 50 quests in zones you walk through, or people chatting about systems you don’t recognize.

Expectations – By this point you should be in the ilevel ~70+ range, with a weapon at least at iLevel 80. Content in this tier provides gear in the range of i80-i100. Content from this point onward will begin sharply spiking up in difficulty, both in terms of numerical requirements and mechanical prowess.

Hullbreaker Isle and Tam Tara/Stone Vigil HM – These three dungeons constitute the Duty Roulette: Expert block currently. Clear them each at least once, or farm them if that’s your preferred method of i80 acquisition and Soldiery farming.

Ballad: Ultima – At this point, Ultima most likely will provide little that will be of use to you, but if you want to clear him once for fun, or really need an i80 neck piece, Minstrel’s Ballad: Ultima’s Bane is there. A clear on this is eventually required for Savage Mode Second Coil, far down the line, should you get to that point.

Big 3 EX Primals – Garuda, Titan, and Ifrit EX are one of many paths to an i90 weapon and i90 accessories. They have been dropped as requirements for other content, so if you don’t feel like you need more i90 gear, or are struggling to complete some of these, it is now possible to skip over them.

The Binding Coil of Bahamut – The biggest method to farm up i90-95 gear at this point, the original Binding Coil will provide you with your first taste of Premier 8 man content, albeit with a very generous Echo buff and a few nerfs to the numbers and mechanics of the fights. Completion of Turn 5 is required for access to the Second Coil of Bahamut.

Leviathan and Moggle Mog EX – These two are required for Ramuh EX down the line, and can provide you with i95/i100 gear, including weaponry. Both have had progressive Echo added in 2.3, which should make clearing and farming them easy enough to let them drop down a tier.

Syrcus Tower – The second Crystal Tower/24 man instance. This will get you access to a single i100 drop per week, or an Oil of Time/Unidentified Allagan Tomestone for access to an i110 accessory upgrade or i100 weapon purchase.

Relic Zenith/Animus/Novus – The long path of upgrading your relic. None of the steps require clearing any of the harder content, and are more focused on simple grinding. If that sounds like something that would appeal to you, this can be a path to a long term best-in-slot weapon for many classes.

Weathered Gear – Keep capping your Soldiery weekly, and use those tomes to Acquire Weathered Gear. Upgrading these pieces requires Sands/Oils of time, which can be acquired via Syrcus Tower, Hunts, and Second Coil.

Tier 3 – Turn 5 and Beyond – The True End-Game

Expectations – By this point you should have completed Turn 5 or be actively working on it. Content from here on out will drop all pretenses of the Echo buff and require you to actively work on your skills and gear to make the cut. A minimum iLevel of 90 in all slots should be considered for the following content. The below content provides rewards in the i100-115 range.

Ramuh EX – Another source of i100 weapons, and i100 rings. A challenging but readily beatable fight. Can save you some Soldiery or help smooth out bad drop luck from Second Coil.

The Second Coil of Bahamut – The real heart of End Game content currently. Four turns, four bosses, and a whole lot of suffering. Expect to need a static group, and/or a whole mountain of dedication to clear the turns. Drops i110 gear, i110 upgrade items, and the coveted i115 weapons from the final turn. Turn 4 completion is required for access to Savage mode.

Tier 4 – For the Brave

Expectations – In order to tackle the content in this tier, you must have completed both Second Coil Turn 4 and Ballad: Ultima. Your gear should all be i110+ or close to it. Content in this tier is purely for bragging rights/titles, and not for the feint of heart or easily enraged.

The Second Coil of Bahamut (Savage) – The insane man’s version of the Second Coil. Provides no added benefits other than a title for each turn cleared, at an insane difficulty spike. Maybe you’ll be the first to clear some of these turns?

The game isn’t even two weeks old yet, but Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn has started its first holiday event: Moonfire Faire! You, too, can earn a stylish swimsuit AND a brand new title.

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Signs of an Old Flame

Before the fall of Dalamud, which would bring about the end of the Sixth Astral Era, a Bombard invasion set ablaze panic in the hearts and minds of the people, threatening to reduce our cities to smoldering rubble and ash. Thanks to a band of adventurers who unwittingly joined the Cascadiers, the igneous invaders were vanquished, and the realm was spared a fiery fate, or so reports had us believe.

There has been talk of sightings around Costa del Sol in eastern La Noscea. However, one must always be wary of the whispers of sailors. Ever wont to make sea hares into giant sea serpents and moat carp into mermaids, their wild fabrications have led many an adventurer to misfortune and abashment. Although these were but simple rumors, I would be remiss to overlook reports now coming in from all corners of the realm. Talk of Bombards has spread like wildfire, and for the first time in five years, the Adventurers’ Guild has announced the return of the Moonfire Faire.

The Fallacious Festival Returns

Five long years have passed since the fall of Dalamud, and a new generation of adventurers has taken up arms in the absence of the Warriors of Light. But would they be so foolish as to run headlong into the proverbial oven that is the Moonfire Faire? There’s no mistaking the Cascadier officers thronging the streets with their pamphlets, permeating the air with platitudes and empty promises. It may not be long before even you, dear reader, come face to face with these ardent recruiters.

Though times may change, the insatiable desire for exotic garments and gear shall ever persist among adventurers. A sense of yearning can be seen burning bright in their eyes at the mere mention of garbs they would receive in preparation for battle. The Adventurers’ Guild is sure to entice adventurers to heed the call of the Cascadiers, but will it be enough? I can only hope the whimsical farce known as Moonfire Faire will both drive off this incendiary incursion and bolster our spirits.

Moonfire Faire Dates & Times

From Monday, September 9, 2013, at 1:00 a.m. (PDT)

* In light of current server congestion, the duration of the Moonfire Faire event will be extended. A separate announcement will be made regarding the ending date.

How to Participate

Speak to any of the Moonfire Faire chaperones, who will appear in each of the three city-states.

For players who are new to the FFXIV franchise, some of the game mechanics in FFXIV are definitely different than for other MMORPGs. Usually I’m a player who does *every* quest I see, but that’s a big no-no for FFXIV since that means leveling additional classes on your same character will be much harder as you left no quests for them to complete.

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Leveling in FFXIV: A Realm Reborn can be daunting at times, especially starting around level fifteen when the game starts letting go of the training wheels and begins opening up more options but starts providing less direction. The goal of this guide to help walk you through until level 30, at which point you should be able to finish the last twenty levels without much of a hitch.

The Value of a Quest

One thing to make clear – quests are valuable for one specific reason – they are one time ordeals. If you do a quest that is a non-class specific quest then it is done for good. With this in mind, never ever clear the quests in the starting zone outside of your own until you start leveling up other classes. Don’t start leveling up another class in earnest either until you hit level 30.

There is some strong reasoning behind this. First, you get a bonus for leveling up other classes based on your highest level class. The higher your level, the more XP your battle classes will get as you level up. So you’re wasting XP if you do it any sooner than 30, outside of maybe getting a Conjurer to level 8 for Protect.

Next, quests are valuable because you can use them to advance really quickly and do not have limits like guildleves have. So if you do a quest that you’re 5 levels over right now, when you are on another class on the same character that is five levels below where you’re at, you won’t have that quest available to you which isn’t fun.

Leveling Tips

Food is a must while leveling. Consume it whenever the buff dissipates. It can be obtained cheaply off of the market and you should swim in different level appropriate foods as you quest through the game. The XP bonus is worth it.

Most of the leveling experience, especially in the first twenty levels, is a tutorial designed to teach the basics of the game. Many features will not unlock until you go through the various quests. Including the dye quest, which is around level 15 in Vepser Bay (I think) in Western Thanalan.

FATEs are repeatable and are as much XP as one quest. They are an efficient way to level no matter what. Go to where level appropriate FATEs are, complete them, and move to the next one. Do this over and over and you will level rather quickly.

Some classes are not as efficient as others. Conjurers will not level as fast as a Lancer. However, Conjurers will have a slightly easier time getting into the duty finder. It’s not that big of a deal, especially since you can change classes on the fly.

You get a 50% bonus XP if your class is below the level of your highest class for FATEs, Guildleves, and monster kills.

Hunting Log

Your hunting log gives a considerable XP bonus for killing NPCs that you’ll kill anyway while questing. In the 10-20 area we’re talking 5k XP for killing a few enemies.

While leveling I totally neglected my hunting log which caused me to miss a ton of XP and backtrack a bunch. Don’t be like me in that regard, be sure to check it often.

Super crazy bonus – your hunting log can tell you locations to “hunt.” Look for enemies at or around your level, that is where the quests will be.

Starting Out (Levels 1 – 5)

The first five levels are mostly done within the city and surrounding areas of the city. The quests differ a little bit between the major city states and there isn’t really a lot to say other than your class quest and your story quest will give you most of your progression and you won’t even be able to leave the city until some of the quests are completed. The low level FATEs are mostly available right outside of the city gates and there are no other options for leveling at this point.

If you are leveling an additional class, then do your class quests and grind outside of the city on mobs at or a few levels above your level.

A Newbie No More (Levels 5 – 10)

The next five levels feature more of the same and will be in the same maps (Lower/Middle La Noscea, Central Thanalan, Central Shroud, etc.). You’re going to primarily want to follow your story quests (the one with the cool quest border) for these levels, as it’s going to take you pretty much to the best spots to level / quest at.

Here is where people make a strong argument to NOT side quest and just follow the story quests and do the FATEs. I find that the first 10 levels on another class are easy enough to not worry with it and make your life a bit easier.

Getting Ready for the Big Time (Levels 10 – 15)

At level 10 Guildhests open up which will give you a HUGE XP bonus on the first completion. Do those as soon as the quest becomes available. You’re still going to be stuck mostly in the same city-state and you can’t leave until you finish your story quest (which wraps up around level 15). So once more, follow your story quest, do the side quests, etc.

Guildleves open up, but you only get 3 allowances every 12 hours, so you’ll want to think really hard about consuming them now when leveling is rather easy or just saving them (you can have up to 99) for later levels or other classes. So far the theme is “save everything and just grind enemies FATEs” but realistically that’s all you can do up until this point.

Exploring the World (Levels 15 – 20)

At this point you can finally leave your city-state and you’re going to want to once again follow your story quests because they open up three new dungeons for you to complete. I did a lot of side quests and didn’t unlock the airship until 17 and was woefully overleveled for a lot of the content, so you may or may not want to rush through your story quest as your level permits.

As a note, at this point you can farm dungeons over and over to level if you so desire. You don’t get a huge chunk of XP, but it’s a noticeable amount.

The Grind Sets In (Levels 20 – 30)

At this point, around level 20, you’re going to get more dungeons, Guildhests, and your story is going to let you fight a boss who, after completing it, gives you a ton of XP and allows you to join a Free Company which decides your quest progression path from this point onward.

You have a few options for grinding; the best FATEs are in Eastern Thanalan (in my opinion), Upper La Noscea (the western side of the map), and East Shroud in the mid-twenties. Once you get your mount then grinding FATEs becomes trivial since you can easily move between them without worrying so much about them being completed by the time you arrive.

Your hunting log can be a really impressive source of XP at these levels too. You get 8k or so for killing enemies that you would kill normally, or 10% of a level at level 25. So it’s sort of kind of a big deal as far as XP goes.

Past Level 30

After level 30 you’re going to pretty much be set on the process of questing if you want to, doing dungeons and Guildhests when they become available, and grouping up to do FATEs. You can also just grind the levels away if you so choose, that’s a viable option as well.

Go forth and explore the world! Just remember to eat food, keep your buffs up, and have fun!

As one of the (un)fortunate players who was in during Beta Test 4 (a.k.a. “open beta”) and attempting to play during Early Access, I can attest to the overwhelming server and maintenance issues suffered by this game. However, I’ve never seen a game simply stop allowing sales before though. I hope this doesn’t come back to haunt them.

In an official notice on Square Enix’s Facebook page, the company writes:P

Due to the overwhelmingly positive response to FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn, we are currently experiencing extremely long wait times for users to be able to log in and play. As a temporary measure, we will halt sales of FINAL FANTASY XIV: A REALM REBORN’s digital download products so we can accommodate all of those wishing to play. We are working to expand our server capacity in the coming days.

Launch headaches are fairly common for big MMOs. On Square Enix’s Facebook page, of course there are FFXIV players upset about the congestion, the inability to play, and Square Enix’s shortage of servers.

Some, however, are looking at this in a positive light: MMOs that start off like this must be good! Ha, that’s not always true and don’t take this heavy congestion as a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. Just be prepared for a variety of issues as the game launches.

Initially, we were only going to offer one digital PC copy. However, we literally couldn’t choose “the best” post as we had multiple favorites. We also had contestants who offered additional feedback, taught us a few new things (e.g. retainers, crafting), and who shared brilliant personal stories about why they really loved the Final Fantasy franchise.

So, we’ve decided to award EVERYONE who participated with their very own shiny new digital PC copy of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn! That’s 15 copies in all!

We will begin sending out the email containing the promo codes and instructions in just a few minutes. Simply enter that promo code at the pre-order website and it walks you through obtaining a pre-order code you then apply toward your account for “early access”. If you played in beta test 4/open beta, the client is already installed. However, you’ll definitely want to finish applying these codes today as early access begins tomorrow.

The email notifications will go out using the email you provided to post your comments on our contest thread.

Thanks again for participating! We look forward to offering other giveaways down the road (though probably not *quite* as generous as this round)!

UPDATE: (August 23, 2013; 10:50 AM Pacific) Please be aware, there is a ~1 GB patch required to update your open beta client to the Early Access version of the game. Be sure you update today so you can start Early Access by 2:00 AM Pacific tomorrow.

Update: The contest participation window is now closed. We will be sending out the winner announcement later today! Thanks for being a part of our first big giveaway!

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Since we began /LFG 10 weeks ago, we’ve posted over 230 articles, received over 6,600 hits, and have nearly 60 followers! In true gamey, nerdy fashion, /LFG is giving away one free digital PC copy of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. (Sorry PS3 fans!)

The game officially launches on August 27, 2013, but this copy is a preorder and will get you into the world of Eorzea on August 24, 2013 instead. If you’re unfamiliar with FFXIV, the game description (from Amazon.com) is posted below – after the contest rules.

What’s the catch? How do I enter? Who can win?

1. Reply to this post describing what you love most about FFXIV.

2. The response we like the best will win!

3. You will be notified this Friday, August 23, 2013 about the win and I’ll update this post so everyone can congratulate you (and rush out to buy their own copy!). I’ll email you the promotional code first, then follow-up with the preorder early access code when it ships.

That’s it!

Best of luck and see you in Eorzea!

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Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) for the PC platform that invites you to rediscover the realm of Eorzea with friends online. Designed as a relaunch of the 2010 PC release, Final Fantasy XIV, A Realm Reborn allows players to enjoy a true Final Fantasy flavored MMO experience the way game developer/publisher Square Enix intended. Game features include: a persistent and evolving world with immersive storylines, a flexible 18 choice class system, guild-based activities, optimized graphics, the choice of solo or group play, a breathtaking musical score, and cross-platform play with PS3 players.

Now Comes the Decline of the Seventh Umbral Era

The realm of Eorzea is ancient, with a conflicted history marked by cycles of prosperous “Astral,” and disastrous “Umbral” eras. Past interpretations of this led many to predict that the current Astral Era would last into eternity, but now the land stands poised to enter another age of decline, a period known as the Seventh Umbral Era. On the eastern border, the Garlean Empire masses its troops for invasion, while the native beast tribes summon their deities, the otherworldly primals. The threats facing Eorzea will not easily be overcome, but overcome they must be.

Gameplay

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) that invites players to explore the realm of Eorzea with friends from around the world. The game is an updated version of the PC game, Final Fantasy XIV, which was originally released in 2010. In it, classic Final Fantasy type themes and environments are merged with MMORPG play mechanics as you form a party and adventure with a multitude of players from across the globe. Forge friendships, mount chocobos, and board airships as you and your companions create your own unique stories in Eorzea. Set out alone or enlist the aid of friends as you undertake epic quests, battle familiar Final Fantasy monsters, and acquire unique abilities and equipment. All the classic elements from the series that you have come to know and love are waiting. Embark on the adventure of a lifetime to help reforge the fate of Eorzea.

Key Game Features

All the hallmarks of the Final Fantasy franchise, including genre-leading graphics and high-definition real-time cutscenes that advance the game’s rich storyline. Incredible new graphics engine that delivers a high level of detail and quality.

A flexible class system that allows players to change to any of the eighteen different classes on the fly simply by changing their equipped weapon or tool.

Guild-based activities focused on catering to players with different gaming styles.

Additional Screenshots

Product Description

FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn is a massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) for Windows piece and PlayStation3 that invites you to explore the realm of Eorzea with friends from around the world. Form a party and adventure with a multitude of players from across the globe. Forge friendships, mount chocobos, and board airships as you and your companions create your own unique stories in Eorzea. Set out alone or enlist the aid of friends as you undertake epic quests, battle familiar FINAL FANTASY monsters, and acquire unique abilities and equipment. All the classic elements from the series that you have come to know and love are waiting. Embark on the adventure of a lifetime to help reforge the fate of Eorzea on PS3 or piece on 08.27.13. Eorzea. A Land embraced by Gods and forged by Heroes. Seeking control of this realm and its abundant crystal resources, the Garlean Empire sends forth a massive host on a campaign to conquer its southern neighbor. Driven by madness, the commander of the invading forces silently plots to tear the moon from the heavens and hurl it down upon the land. The people of the realm soon learn of this foul scheme, and join their hands in prayer in an eleventh hour attempt to entreat the aid of the gods, only to see their endeavors fail. From within the moon emerges Bahamut, an ancient terror seething with rage fueled by countless generations of imprisonment. Sensing the tug of Fate, a powerful magus channels the last of his strength to send Eorzea’s heroes into a temporal rift. There they wait, untouched by the flames of destruction, until they are needed again. Those heroes are you, and the hour of awakening is now. Come and witness a realm reborn.